Food companies have come under fire for worsening the obesity epidemic by
selling crisps in "supersized" bags, according to research.

Over two-thirds of all crisp packets on sale in convenience stores near schools are in bags that are nearly double the traditional size, despite manufacturers’ pledges to cut larger size packets.

The research comes just three days after the Andrew Lansley, the new Health Secretary asked food companies to take a greater role in promoting healthier lifestyles, in a move towards a “non-regulatory approach” to tackling obesity.

In a survey of 20 convenience stores and petrol stations, almost all located within five minutes’ walk of a school, The Daily Telegraph found that 65 per cent of crisp packets on sale weighed 40g or over, more than the current standard size of 34.5g.

Over 43 per cent of bags weighed 50g or over.

Robert Opie, the food and brand historian, said crisp packets during the 1950s up until the 1990s were usually sold in 25g bags.

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The survey also revealed widespread discounting of unhealthy product lines, with Shell and WH Smith both offering two 50g Walkers ‘grab bags’ for £1.

A 50g bags of McCoys crisps, on offer at most of the outlets, contained 16g of fat, and 0.9g of salt nearly a quarter of a child's recommended daily allowance.

Food campaigners and MPs said the findings were a serious cause for concern because large portion sizes were one of the reasons behind the rise in childhood obesity. The Food Standards Agency is in the process of investigating whether sweet, crisp and snack sizes can be reduced. It has discovered that the average packet size of many standard foods has doubled in the last two decades.

PepsiCo, who make Walkers and Doritos crisps, announced a major commitment to healthy living in March, saying they would scrap the 40g and 50g ‘grab bag’ of crisps by 2015. They want to introduce a cap of 160 calories per pack. United Biscuits, which makes McCoys, has a policy of "providing healthier options of standard products".

However, the results of The Daily Telepraph survey suggested manufacturers are making slow progress in implementing healthier portion sizes. In some stores – including branches of WH Smith and BP service stations – over 90 per cent of the crisp bags on offer weighed 40g or over.

Kevin Barron, Labour MP for Rother Valley and former chairman of the House of Commons Health Select Committee, said: “We shouldn’t be surprised that school children are putting on weight when we see results like these. It is only common sense that we should be looking at reducing portion sizes.

“If retailers are going to assume a role in encouraging the public to be healthier, they need to cut portion sizes and improve the content of the crisps. This survey suggests that retailers are not being responsible at the moment. Retailers and parents both need to look at this and act.”

Mary Creagh, the Labour MP and former Health Minister, said single, large bags of crisps were rarely shared between children and it was crucial children were offered appropriate sized snacks. She added she was appalled by the idea that the Coalition Government was giving food companies a greater say in the NHS health campaigns. "Andrew Lansley is asking snack companies to fund the campaign in exchange for a non-regulatory approach. This is nothing less than a dereliction of duty from the Secretary of State."

Food companies said they had made great progress in reducing the salt and fat content of their crisps in recent years and that it was up to retailers what size packets they stocked.

However, Christine Haigh, at the Children's Food Campaign, said: "From a children's health point of view increasing portion sizes are a nightmare. And manufacturers need to take a lead. After all, 25g used to be the standard size. Then it became 34g and now it appears to have become 40g or even 50g."

A spokeswoman for PepsiCo said: “Although it is up to retailers to choose which crisps to stock, we are taking this very seriously. We have pledged that we will stop selling larger bag sizes by 2015.”